


Torn By Pride

by TheAnonymousPasserby



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: AU, Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff and Angst, Gay tension, Inspired by "Ready As I'll Ever Be - Sanders Sides Animatic" - thepastelpeach, Logan is surprisingly charming, M/M, Of Crowns and Thorns AU, Patton is precious, Pining, Protective Virgil, Roman and Virgil are childhood BFFs, Roman kinda becomes a dick, Romantic Tension, Slow Burn, Virgil is hopeless and it shows, Virgil kinda becomes a badass, Will tag more as the story develops, gay pining, i dont know what else to tag, pre-prinxiety - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2018-11-06
Packaged: 2019-07-28 13:33:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16242674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAnonymousPasserby/pseuds/TheAnonymousPasserby
Summary: Roman always dreamed of a life full of adventure. He was the son of a peasant raised by the Captain of the Royal Guard himself and like his beloved foster father, He longed to be someone of importance, someone who others looked up to, A leader, a knight. No, not just any knight, the Captain of the Royal Guard. Or why stop there? Perhaps even a prince, or a King.Little does he know, however, that those dreams come with a price...-----This is my interpretation of the "Crowns and Thorns" AU inspired by the "Ready as Ill Ever Be" animatic by thepastelpeach.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This long ass prologue is intended to mostly set the stage of Roman and Virgil's relationship growing up together. It will also help make more sense of Romans douchey attitude later in the story.  
> Also a little bit of gay angst.  
> I literally wrote this in one go, so....yeah....  
> enjoy.

**P R O L O G U E**

“Come on, Virgil is that all you’ve got!” The young teenage boy taunted as he swung his wooden sword at his younger friend who had fallen to the ground. Virgil quickly threw his own sword up to block but as the two wooden swords collided, Virgil lost his grip and his sword went flying off to the side. Before he could react, the blunt tip of the other teens sword was at his throat. Virgil put up his hands in surrender as he panted out a laugh, “Alright, Roman, you win.” “Again,” Roman added with a triumphant grin as he held his hand out to help his friend up.  “Oh, whatever!” Virgil scoffed and took the older boys hand, allowing himself to be pulled up to his feet, “You know I’m not nearly as good at this stuff as you are. I hate fighting.”

“You could be better than me if you wanted to be. Your father is the Captain for crying out loud! And besides,” Roman clapped an arm around his smaller friends shoulders, “You’ve gotta learn to fight if you’re ever going to be my second in command!”

Virgil blushed slightly with a soft chuckle, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Roman gave him one more friendly squeeze before walking over to the sword that had fallen in the grass. Picking it up, he threw it back to Virgil who caught it effortlessly by the handle. “Come on then, one more go! And this time, don’t hold back! I know you’ve got it in you.”

Virgil swallowed hard but took his position, mentally preparing himself for the fight to come when suddenly, as if the gods themselves had chosen to show mercy on him, a loud whistle sounded in the distance signaling to the two boys that it was time to come back home.

Virgil sighed in relief, “Oh thank heaven…” Roman, however, groaned loudly, “UGH! Already??” He trudged over to the tree where two horses were tied and peacefully grazing, “Come on then…We’d better get home.”

As the two boys mounted their horses, Virgil couldn’t help but notice the disappointed look on his friends face. Luckily, he knew exactly how to cheer him up, “Come on Roman I’ll race you home!”

Roman immediately perked up, “Alright, you’re on!”

“HYAH!” Virgil called as he kicked his horse into action, followed shortly by Roman not even a second later, taking off towards the direction of their home. The cold evening wind stung their faces, but they didn’t care. It was all a part of the thrill.  

Roman watched as Virgil took a slight lead with a wide smile on his face. While Roman was the better fighter, Virgil was by far the better horseman. Even at 13 years old, Virgil somehow managed to hold command over any horse he rode without fail. Roman himself was 14, though he lacked the skills that Virgil had in that respect. He took to fighting much more efficiently than he took to riding, but even at such a young age, their combined skills had made them quite a team.

Somewhere in the distance, the soft glow of a small house came into view against the fading daylight.

__‘Home’__ Roman thought with a smile as he urged his horse forward, slowly catching up with the younger boy in front of him. He had lived there all his life, at least since the loss of his Father. He was far too young to remember the incident but from the stories he’d heard, he knew that his father and the Captain were longtime friends. It was how he ended up living with Virgil to begin with. The Captain and his wife had taken him in and raised him as their own son. Virgil didn’t take to having a brother figure around very well at first but as the years went by, the two boys became virtually inseparable. Even despite the fact that Roman had taken to calling Virgil’s parents by mother and father, the two boys never really did see each other as brothers. No, what they shared went much deeper than a brotherly bond, though neither of them could quite understand it yet. Whatever it was, it was strange and new and had the tendency to make otherwise normal interactions feel awkward…Even now as Roman watched the boy in front of him, he could feel something different…but it wasn’t a bad kind of different. New and strange, but definitely not a bad feeling. Not at all…

Another whistle sounded breaking Roman out of his thoughts. That was when he noticed how much farther ahead of him Virgil was. Silently cursing himself under his breath, he did his best to catch up but failed as he watched Virgil bring his horse to a sudden stop outside of the stables. With a triumphant laugh, he pulled out his wooden sword, holding it high in the air as his horse reared on its hind legs. Roman couldn’t help but smile warmly at the sight. Virgil was the least confident boy he knew so it was very rare to see this side of him, but it made Roman feel warm all over whenever he got to see his friends confidence shine through. He looked absolutely radiant and every bit the knight Roman always knew he could be if Virgil would only want it as badly as Roman did. Roman always teased him about becoming his second in command whenever he became captain of the Royal Guard, but he knew all too well that following that same path was not what Virgil wanted. Oh, how he wished he could change the boys mind…he would give anything to have him at his side when the day comes…

Pulling up beside him, he shook his head with a laugh, “Alright alright you win!”

Virgil shot him a cocky grin, “Again~” before jumping down from his horse. Roman followed suit and was about to lead the horse to the stables when the reigns were taken from his hands. “Go on inside, Roman, I can take care of these two. I’m sure you’re starving.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, go ahead. I’ll be in soon.”

Roman smiled and ruffled Virgils hair before heading inside, the smell of dinner causing his stomach to make all sorts of unholy sounds.

“Ah Roman, you’re home!” The melodious voice of his mother (not really but he called her mom regardless…) called from the other room where she was setting up for dinner, “Wheres Virgil?”

“The stables, He’ll be in shortly. Can I help with anything, Mother?” He asked as he approached her.

“See whats keeping Draven, would you? I don’t want his dinner to get cold again.” She said, referring to the Captain. With a nod, Roman made his way towards the Captains study where he usually was during the evenings, however, this time there was more than one voice coming from the other side of the door. He didn’t know what prompted him to stay back and just listen, but something told him he had to.

“But hes just a boy, Draven. Hes only fourteen.”

“No older than I was when I left home to begin my training. Trust me on this one, Lucas. This boy has the potential to be something great, regardless of the circumstances of his birth.”

 

What was that supposed to mean? Circumstances of his birth?

 

“I don’t mean to question your judgement, but a peasants son becoming a knight? There may not be a law against it but its…unheard of. What of your own son? Surely he has the skills necessary to carry on your legacy.”

 

Peasants son?? Roman froze, his breath hitched in his chest. A peasants son? His father wasn’t a knight? He was just a peasant? How could they lie to him like this??

 

“My son is skilled, that I wont deny, but his skills are not suited for war. He is a skilled craftsman, archer, and horseman…but not a swordsman. I have taught him well and I know he can fight, but I cant force him to be something he doesn’t want to be, and I wont. I took up my fathers sword by choice, not by force.”

 

Oh god, Virgil….Does Virgil know?? Surely he couldn’t, why would he keep something like this? But then again, Virgil did know all his life that Roman was never truly his brother.Did he know about Romans real father? Why wouldn’t he say anything? No, he couldn’t lie to his best friend like this….could he?

 

“I don’t know, Draven...It seems wrong to me. A peasant boy doesn’t belong in the royal ranks.”

 

Peasant boy….

Peasant boy peasant boy peasant boy peasant boy

Doesnt belong

Peasant boy doesnt belong

Peasant boy doesnt belong

 

A slam was heard, “Don’t you dare talk down to me about my son, Lucas”

“But hes not your--”

“He may not share my bloodline, but I raised that boy. He is my son and he is just as worthy of this as any, and don’t you dare try to question me on this again.”

“But sir--”

“I will bring him, Lucas. He will be trained, and one day he will be your new Captain. Go now. I will see you in one weeks time.”

 

Roman failed to notice the streams of tears that had fallen down his face. He clapped a hand over his mouth to stop himself from being heard as he cried silently in the dark hallway. A whirlwind of emotions was surging through him. Anger, hatred, appreciation, love, guilt, dissapointment, he didn’t know which was stronger. Suddenly the door to the study opened and there stood the Captain himself, his armor gleaming in the candlelight. “Roman…” He breathed in shock. How long had he been standing there? How much had he heard?  
”What did he mean when he said I was a peasant boy?” Roman choked out, his voice tinged with anger.

“son…”

“You told me my father was a knight like you. You lied to me?”

“Roman let me explain…”

“No!” Roman turned and ran out of the house as fast as he could, bumping against Virgil as he was walking in through the door. “Ow…wait, Roman! Roman where are you going??” Virgil called, slight panic tinging his voice as he watched his best friend disappear into the darkness of the night. Without so much as a second thought, He took off after him. VIrgil was deathly afraid of the dark, but his fear was shoved aside. Something was wrong with Roman and he had to figure out what it was. He could hear his parents calling after him but he ignored them, instead willing his legs to pump faster. The cold air stung his lungs with each breath, but he ignored it as he called out Romans name again and again, desperate to find him and make sure he was okay.

After running for a while, he couldn’t run any longer and skidded to a stop on top of a nearby hill as he doubled over, gripping at his heaving chest. His lungs felt as though they were on fire. His breath came in heavy clouds of smoke that hung in the cold autumn air around him.

“By the gods, Roman where did you go…” He said with a painful cough.  
He was answered by the sounds of someone crying nearby. He knew that cry anywhere. Following the sound, he found who he was looking for curled up under a large oak tree and crying to himself. He approached him slowly and sat down next to him, “Roman?”

“How long…” Roman didn’t bother to look at him as he spoke.

“how long what?”

“How long have you known?”

“Roman what are you talking about…?”

Roman suddenly turned to him, the rage in his eyes causing Virgil to flinch away, “How long have you known about me! About my father! How long have you known that everything you and your family has ever told me, has ever made me believe, was a LIE?!”

“Roman what on earth are you talking about? I swear I don’t know anything! And if I did, why would I hide it from you?? You know me better than that…you know I cant keep anything from you.”

Romans face suddenly changed from anger to guilt, “You…you didn’t know…”

“I wouldn’t lie to you Roman. I can’t lie to you….You’re my best friend.”

Roman turned away and buried his face in his hands as new sobs shook his body, “Oh Gods Virgil I’m so sorry!”

“Hey,” Virgil wrapped an arm around Romans shoulders and pulled him into a comforting hug, “Its alright, just….tell me what happened. “

Roman sighed a heavy, shaky breath, “My father wasn’t a knight. He was just a peasant…”

“What? No no no that has to be wrong…who told you that?”

“It's true…I overheard your father talking to Sir Lucas in his study…Your father wants me to start training for the Guard…”

“But Roman that's good news, isn't it?”

“No, it's not. Sir Lucas said it himself. Peasant boys don’t belong among the royal ranks. “

“Roman you’re not a peasant”

“I might as well be!” He pulled away from his friends warm embrace, silently regretting it when the cold air around him made itself known once again, “Your family may have raised me but that doesn’t change my blood. No matter what I do, no matter where I go, I will always be judged as the son of a peasant boy who doesn’t deserve the life he's been given…who doesn’t deserve to be anything more than what he is. They’ll wonder ‘who does this boy think he is?’ The king would never allow a peasant to protect the prince and command the royal guard…They’ll never give me a real chance…because I don’t deserve it.”

“Roman you deserve it more than anyone I’ve ever known…You’re braver and more headstrong than half the knights in the guard, father said so! You’re smart, creative, and your skills with a sword are unmatched by any other boy in the kingdom. Where you came from doesn’t matter. Its who you are that matters…” He reached out to wipe away his friends tears, “I know you better than anyone, Roman…You deserve so much more than what others seem to think. In all honesty, you deserve to be royalty.”

Roman huffed a breathy laugh, “yeah like that will ever happen.”

Virgil shrugged, “you’re the one who told me that nothing is impossible.”

Roman smiled at that for a moment.

Virgil continued, “This is your chance to do what you’ve always wanted to do. To be what you’ve always wanted to be. And now that you know the truth, This is your chance to prove Sir Lucas wrong and all the others who would ever dare doubt you.”

Roman looked up at him, “What about you? Would you come with me?” there was a slight longing in his tone that he couldn’t be bothered to hide.

Virgil blushed a little and shrugged, “Being a knight isn’t really for me. I don’t like to fight unless I have to.”

“Well, …you do understand that if I do this, it means I will have to leave and go live on the palace grounds and…well…it could be a long time before I’ll see you again..." He gently took one of Virgils hands in his own, "I can't be here for you if I go.”

Virgil felt his chest tighten. All his life he had always dealt with heightened anxiety and a crippling fear of, well, literally everything... and Roman had always been his rock and his shield. He had always been there to protect him even from the monsters in his own head. The idea of him not being around was….terrifying. He swallowed hard, “I….I know.”

“And you’re okay with that?” Romans thumb rubbed gentle circles into the back of Virgils hand, reassuring him that it was okay to be honest with his feelings. 

He wanted to say no. He wanted to break down and take back everything and beg him not to go….but He couldn’t be selfish like this. He wanted nothing more than for Roman to chase his dream, he wanted him to be happy. He deserved it. Virgil loved Roman dearly. He still wasn’t quite sure if the love he felt was love for a brother or the result of an attraction to his best friend that had been building for years. Whatever it was, he knew it only served to amplify the pain he was feeling at the thought of not having him around anymore….but it also gave him the strength necessary to push away his fears and selfishness and encourage his best friend to chase his dream.

“...Yes…”Virgil said softly, his breath trembling as he spoke, "I just want you to be happy, Roman...no matter the cost."

Roman almost didn’t believe him. He searched his friends eyes for any hint of a lie, but he found no such evidence.

' _He means it...'_  

Standing up, he pulled Virgil to his feet and wrapped his arms around him without a word. Virgil held onto his best friend tightly and buried his face into his neck, “Prove them all wrong. I believe in you Roman… I always have and I always will.”

 

* * *

 

 

The day came faster than either of them wanted. Roman was in an emotionless daze, unsure whether to feel excited, terrified or both. Even Virgil was surprisingly numb as he went about helping Roman collect his things and load them onto his horse. The journey would take anywhere from two to three days of travel, so it was essential that he not forget anything. When the time came to leave, Roman remained emotionless even as he said goodbye to his beloved foster mother, but once he went to say goodbye to Virgil in his room, his walls came crashing down. The two boys flung their arms around each other and cried silently into each other's shoulders. Roman would be lying if he didn’t admit that he was scared for him…he knew Virgil wasn’t very brave or confident on his own, and just the thought of him experiencing a panic attack without him there to comfort him was enough to shatter his heart into a million pieces. He knew that Virgil had to learn how to fight his demons on his own, but he was still scared for him. Who knew when they would be able to see each other again…

 

“Please be careful out there,” Virgils voice sounded small and frightened and it made Romans heart ache. They pulled away from each other just enough to look at each other but neither of them would let the other go, “and you’d better write. I’ll be expecting to hear from you regularly.” Roman couldn’t help but laugh a little as he pulled his best friend close for one more embrace. “I promise,” He whispered with a sad sigh. He held onto him for as long as he could, even after hearing himself being called to leave. Just as he was hesitantly letting go, he felt something being draped around his neck. He looked down to see Virgil wrapping a very long, scarlet red scarf around him. It was incredibly soft and Warm, yet light. Along the edged of the scarf, there was deep purple lacing adding just a touch of elegance to the otherwise simple garment. The colors blended well enough together that at first glance it wasn’t noticeable, but over the years of watching Virgil work, he had learned to notice these kinds of things. He looked up at the younger teen who was now blushing as he finished wrapping it around him.

“For good luck,” he said softly, “and, ya know….to keep you warm. Its pretty cold out there.”

 

Roman was just about to say something when he heard himself being called again. There wasn’t enough time to say what he wanted to say…In an act of desperation, Roman pulled Virgil close and kissed him. Virgil’s mind went blank, unable to process what had just happened but what he did know was that he had stopped breathing for a moment and just as quickly as it came, it disappeared before Virgil could even react. It was a quick, simple gesture and it ended much too quickly. There was a moment where Virgil knew his eyes had betrayed him because the look he was given when he pulled away was one that Roman had never given him before…It was warm and full of a longing that made Virgils stomach do flips, but before he could search further, those eyes turned away with a sad smile and Virgil could only stand there as his best friend left the house he had called home for the majority of his life with no further words spoken between them. He watched from the window as Roman mounted his horse alongside his father and with a final wave goodbye to his Mother, they were off.

 

He sniffled and wiped away the tears that began to fall, gripping at his chest with his free hand as he watched them disappear in the distance.


	2. 12 years later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 12 years later, our story begins.

Roman quickly shut the large mahogany door to his room, leaning his back against it with an exhausted sigh. He had only been home for a day and already he wanted to disappear. The news that he would be promoted to Captain of the Royal Guard spread fast through the kingdom and it brought with it an unfortunate amount of attention. Most of it was positive but dealing with the negative attention was exhausting. All the questions about who he was and where he came from were easy enough to handle, but it took every ounce of energy he had to maintain his composure whenever he was berated about the fact that he had been born to a much lower class. The questions never ceased…

Why him?

What right did he have to take this position away from the Captains only son?

What makes him think that a peasant boy could lead the royal guard?

That word again….peasant boy…

He shook his head as he pushed himself off of the door, anger stirring in the pit of his stomach. He hated it. He knew what he was getting himself into when he chose to chase his dream, but after 12 years he had hoped that the people of this kingdom would come to see that class doesn’t determine worth…that any man with the will and love for his King and country could serve them, but far too many still believed he didn’t deserve the honor. The constant discrimination he faced over the last 12 years forced him to work harder and harder to prove his worth, but some minds it seems can never be changed. Roman knew that he shouldn’t let their opinions get to him but he couldn’t help it. From the day he learned the truth of his birth, this particular subject was a rather large weak spot in his pride and it never seemed to get any easier…

Well..at least he had the King on his side…the young royal had proven to be a very open-minded individual who shared many of Romans own beliefs, and that in itself was somewhat comforting.

Roman made his way towards the large mirror on the other side of his room. He looked about as exhausted as he felt. His eyes were somewhat baggy, his hair was a wreck and his tunic was wrinkled and filthy. Even his posture was terrible. The trip home had completely wiped him of his energy. He had been gone for months with his troop traversing the vast kingdom they called home, keeping a close watch on their borders, passing through towns and small villages and simply making sure that everything was still in order. The rounds through the kingdom were probably the most boring part of the job, but he always found a way to make it enjoyable. So long as they performed their duties on their rounds, the guards were free to wander wherever they pleased. Romans particular troop had a knack for getting into all sorts of dangerous adventures, but with Roman as their leader who could expect anything less? In the end what mattered was that they performed their duties without fail and always returned home safely. Exhausted and hungry, but in good health otherwise.

A familiar voice tore Roman away from his thoughts and his gaze shifted back towards the door. He knew the sound of the voice coming down the hall although he could barely make out what was being said. He quickly ran his hands through his unkempt hair, trying to smooth it as best as possible before turning his attention to straightening his tunic.

“Ready or not, here I come!” a warm, singsong voice came from the other side of the door before the owner of the voice opened it and made his presence known. The King himself. A young lad about the same age as Roman and no less adventurous with a charmingly contagious smile and eyes that always held so much love and wonder no matter where they looked. Though he had only been crowned King less than a year ago, Roman was pleased to see that the pressures of ruling a kingdom had not put a damper on his childlike spirit. “Roman!” The king exclaimed with such genuine joy that Roman couldn’t help but smile.

“Your majesty,” Roman greeted him as he bowed respectfully.

“Oh cut the formalities Roman,” The King laughed and approached him with open arms, “Come here.”

The two men embraced each other like two brothers who hadn’t seen each other in years. As exhausted as he was, Roman leaned heavily into his Kings embrace, possibly more than he should have but it was obvious that the King didn’t mind one bit as he leaned into the extra weight, supporting his exhausted friend effortlessly. “Its so good to see you again, Thomas…”Roman sighed as he lay his head on his dear friends shoulder. “Likewise, brother…,” Thomas replied, “Its good to have you home again. We’ve all missed you. I missed you.” 

Roman smiled, holding onto his King for a few more moments before gently pulling away just enough to look him in his eyes which stared back at him with nothing short of pure love and joy. Over the years since he first came to live on the palace grounds to begin his training, He and Thomas had grown exceptionally close, so close that Thomas’ father would often joke that they had to have been brothers in a past life, and as the years went by Roman would eventually come to believe it himself and Thomas would often call him his brother. It was a term only ever used on him, and it made Roman feel warm inside any time he used it.

“There he is!” Another familiar voice rang from the doorway, causing both men to look in that direction. Two more men stepped in, one slightly shorter than Roman with large spectacles and a childlike bounce in every step he took, and one who stood taller than the rest of them also wearing spectacles but carried himself with more grace than even the King himself, so much so that it was almost intimidating. They were the Kings personal advisers and two more close friends that Roman had been blessed with in his time here…one of which was suddenly charging right at him…

Thomas gracefully sidestepped the incoming hug from the smaller man who nearly knocked Roman backward when he threw his arms around his neck, “Roman!! So glad you’re home!” Roman couldn’t help but laugh out loud as he returned the hug, “I’m happy to see you too, Patton.”

“Welcome home, Roman,” Came the voice of the fourth man in the room who made his way towards the young knight, “I trust your journey went well?” Roman chuckled and released Patton from his embrace, turning to the other, “Exhausting but otherwise well. Now come here, Logan.” He opened his arms and Logan chuckled a bit to himself as he embraced his friend warmly, “Its good to have you home again, my friend” “I’m glad to be back,” Roman said, giving Logan a gentle squeeze before releasing him and turning his attention back to the King, “Now when’s dinner, because I’m starving.”

Thomas laughed, “How did I know you were going to say that?”

“Because you know me too well.”

“I would hope so after having to put up with you for the last 12 years!” Thomas gave him a playful nudge, causing them all to laugh, “but to answer your question, in about an hour, so get yourself cleaned up and comfortable. You look like a total mess.”

“A devilishly handsome mess, thank you very much,” Roman said with a cocky grin as he ran his hand through his messy hair once again. The King rolled his eyes and reached out to ruffle the knights hair, making it look worse than before. “Oi!” Roman swatted his hand away and backed up a few steps. “We’ll see you at dinner, you handsome mess,” The King said with a chuckle before turning to leave with Logan and Patton following close behind.

Roman smiled fondly as he watched his dearest friends leave his room, shutting the door behind them. He sighed heavily and collapsed backward onto his bed, exhaustion making itself known once again but he knew he couldn’t sleep yet. He was far too hungry for that and his mind was racing. He knew that whatever peace he would have tonight would be short-lived. The ceremony was in 3 days….HIS ceremony, in which he will officially be named Captain of the Royal Guard. All of his years of hard work were about to pay off. All those years of ridicule and harassment, of being underestimated and talked down to were finally coming back around in his favor. ‘ _ _I’m proving them wrong…’__  he thought to himself. Slipping his hand into the pocket inside of his tunic, he pulled out a large, neatly folded red fabric which he unfurled, its length stretching along his body. He stared at it for a moment, eyes following the intricate pattern stitched along the edges in purple thread and gently stroking the embroidery with his thumb.

He felt a pang of longing in his heart that he often felt when holding this particular item. It was his most prized possession and he took it with him everywhere he went. Even if he wasn’t wearing it, it was tucked neatly inside his tunic and close to his chest where he knew it would be safe.

In his mind, a familiar voice echoed __‘Prove them wrong, Roman…I believe in you. I always have and I always will…’__

“I’m proving them wrong…” He whispered softly, holding the scarf against his chest, “and I hope you’ll be there to see it…”

 

* * *

 

The sun had just begun to set over the horizon when Virgil was roused from his sleep by his horse nosing the side of his head as annoyingly as possible. He groaned and tried to turn away from her but it was no use. It was time to go and she knew it and no amount of protest would deter her. “Ugh, Bella stop…just a few more minutes please…” He groaned. Bella responded with a rather wet snort causing Virgil to jolt upright, wiping furiously at his face, “Eew BELLA! Why would you…! That’s disgusting!” Bella whinnied in response, stamping her foot playfully at her human companion. “Alright alright, I’m up! Geez…” Virgil feigned annoyance, but he couldn’t hide the smile on his face as he stood up and stretched. He knew he couldn’t stay mad at her, and the worst part was that she knew it too. She trotted forward and pressed her massive black head into his chest prompting him to rub and scratch at her neck and ears.

Bella had been his closest friend for years after having rescued her from slaughter. The local church in his village seemed to believe that black horses were cursed and brought misfortune upon the land, but Virgil knew this was nothing more than senseless superstition. He paid a hefty price for her, and raising a hand raising a filly was no easy task, but in his mind, it was well worth it. All the love, care, and dedication he had given her, she gave back to him tenfold.

He smiled as he leaned down to press a kiss between the mares ears before he began collecting his things and securing her saddle. They still had a long way to go, but so far their trip has gone as smooth as he had hoped. Traveling by night was much less stressful. He was less likely to encounter other people and thus less likely to run into any trouble. It was a bit unusual for a stranger dressed in dark clothing to be riding around alone with some rather impressive weapons strapped to his back and saddle.

His bow and quiver hung on one side of the saddle, a crossbow and daggers on the other, and on his back he carried his fathers sword wrapped neatly in cloth so as to not attract unwanted attention.

He had no intention of using the sword should anyone try something they would quickly regret. His bow was his weapon of choice and it did a rather fine job of keeping thieves at bay (and by at bay he means dead).

No, this sword was not meant for him to use. He was simply delivering it.

As he finished strapping all his belongings onto Bellas saddle, he swung the large and heavy object over his back and quickly mounted as Bella stamped her hoof, eager to get moving. She didn’t have to wait long. Within seconds, they were off. Virgil was grateful for Bellas energy and enthusiasm. Were it any other horse, he was sure he would barely make it in time for the ceremony, but thanks to her they were making excellent time. At this rate, they would arrive with plenty of time to spare. The thought both excited and terrified Virgil.

This would be the first time he had seen his best friend in years. The last time they saw each other was over 7 years ago after the sudden and unexpected death of his parents who had been ambushed in the mountains on their way to the palace…. Up until that point they had been keeping in touch through letters and at least once a year, His father would take Virgil to the palace to visit where the two boys would spend most of their time catching up, swapping stories and secretly exploring the feelings they still harbored for one another. After his Fathers death, it was Roman who, with the help of the Prince (now King) and his advisers, ensured that the Captain and his beloved wife received a proper send-off with all the honor they deserved and more. It was Roman who ensured that it was Virgil who would have the honor of killing the men who assassinated his family…and it was also Roman who held Virgil throughout the night as he grieved and gently soothed away his tears with displays of affection that will forever be deeply embedded at the forefront of Virgil’s memory where he hoped they would always stay…

After these events, however, their contact with each other began to fade. Letters were rare and visits had stopped completely. Virgil couldn’t understand why. He figured that Roman had simply become too busy for him and as much as it hurt, he gradually accepted it. He once told him that he wanted Roman to be happy no matter the cost, and if that cost was their…relationship? friendship? Whatever it was… then so be it.

He had been surprised, however, by a personal visit from one of the Kings advisers only a few weeks prior who told him of the upcoming ceremony and offered him the honor to bestow his fathers sword onto the new Captain. Traditionally, it would have been the old Captain who would offer the sword to the new Captain, and in his absence, it would have been the King…but, as Virgil quickly learned, the young King didn’t care too much for tradition. Virgil gratefully accepted this honor on the condition that Roman would not know anything of it, to which the adviser agreed.

Now on the road to the palace, Virgil was a nervous wreck. He had no idea how Roman would react to seeing him again…or how he would react to seeing Roman again. What did he look like now? How much had he changed? Will he even recognize him? Did he still feel anything for him, or has that already passed?

Virgil shook his head, fixing his eyes forward towards the dying sunset in the distance with a heavy sigh. Who knows what will happen…he only hoped that Roman hadn’t become too much of a stranger to him after all these years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am the nastiest slut for comments.  
> Just pure N A S T Y


	3. The Ceremony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day of the Ceremony. Awkward tension and some fluff ensues. Virgil is a flirtatious bitch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK brace yourselves this one is a bit of a long one, probably kinda boring...and if it feels like its moving kinda fast, I apologize >.< I really just wanted to get through this particular story arc so that we can start getting to the good shit that my brain is itching to write. I may end up rewriting this entire chapter later, who knows....anyway, I hope you enjoy. See you at the end of the chapter, my dudes~

The young knight smoothed out the front of his crisp, new uniform, inspecting himself in the mirror as he did so. It was perfect. All white with gold trimmings and a split tail that hung just above the back of his knees with white pants to match tucked neatly into his knee-high black boots. He almost didn’t look like himself, but that was not a bad thing by any means. He was rather impressed with his own reflection and how something as simple as a new uniform could transform someone so easily. Even the Kings own seamstress couldn’t help but feel a little bit intimidated by his commanding appearance.

There was just one more thing missing…

Reaching into his coat, he pulled out the deep red scarf with purple trim and carefully wrapped the long fabric around his waist, up across his chest and let it hang over his shoulder, secured in place by the strap on his right shoulder. Its remaining length hung freely down the right side of his back, almost like a banner or cape. It was perfect…He knew he was supposed to wear a golden sash for the ceremony, but tradition be damned. Nothing about his life or current status had been traditional from the start, so why bother with it now?

Roman stared at himself with a sad smile. He knew all of his dreams were about to come true…well. Most of them anyway. He had been dreaming of this very day since he was a boy...so why did he feel so empty? So unfulfilled? He knew he should be happier about what was about to happen….so why wasn’t he?

“By the gods, Roman, you look absolutely dashing!” The Kings' voice tore his attention away from his reflection. He smiled warmly at his approaching friend, “You really think so?”

“I know so, I’m looking right at you,” Thomas responded with a chuckle.

Roman breathed a heavy sigh and looked back at his reflection. Thomas studied his friend in silence for a few long moments and couldn’t help but notice that the knight's smile didn’t reach his eyes. His gaze was blank and empty. It was a look Thomas was quite familiar with. Roman only ever looked like this when he was trying to hold something back…

A gentle touch on the arm made Roman look in the Kings direction, "What's troubling you, brother?”

Roman opened his mouth to speak but was immediately cut off, “and don’t try to lie to me. You know I can see right through that nonsense.”

Roman sighed, “It's just….all my life I have dreamed of this day…and now that its here I… don't quite know how to feel about it I guess,” He looked down at the ground, unconsciously fiddling with his sash, “It feels….different than what I imagined.”

“It feels empty….”

Romans eyes snapped back up, locking with the Kings who stared back at him with a soft, empathetic smile. He didn’t know what to say, so he only nodded in response before looking down again. Thomas stepped forward and placed his hands on Romans shoulders, leaning in until their foreheads were pressed together, “Your family was supposed to be here to share in this moment with you. That’s what it is, isn’t it?”

“Yes…” Roman responded in a low whisper, “I know they weren’t my parents but…they were the only family I had ever known.” Roman wasn’t telling the whole truth, there was much more to his melancholy mood than what he was admitting to, but he would be lying to himself if he didn’t admit that what the King was saying was a large part of it.

“I understand,” Thomas said softly, “But for what its worth, I know that the Captain would be as proud of you as any father would.” Roman smiled a bit as he was pulled into a warm hug which he returned gratefully, followed by the feeling of a kiss against the side of his head as the King pulled away from him. “Today marks the dawn of a new era of change, an era that your fierce dedication has made possible. You are changing this Kingdom for the better, Roman,” Thomas said with an almost contagious amount of pride, “If nothing else, be proud of yourself for that.”

Roman smiled and nodded, “You’re right.”

“Of course I am. I’m always right,” Thomas teased.

“Ha! Sure, only after you’ve consulted me first,” Roman mocked, earning him a playful punch from the young royal and some much-needed laughter from the both of them.

After a few more playful quips between them, Roman was feeling substantially better. “Thank you, Thomas…For everything,” He said as the King turned to leave his room. Thomas looked back at him with a loving smile, “I’ll see you at the ceremony, brother.”

As the door shut behind him, Roman once again turned to his reflection. The King was right. From this point on, everything was going to change. He knew there would be much resistance to this change, but as Logan once told him, “Progress may be hindered, but it can never be stopped.”

As insecure as he was about his class at birth, he knew that today would be an inspiration to all of those at the bottom of the social hierarchy. He may be the first ‘Peasant boy’ to join the royal ranks, but he knew he wasn’t going to be the last, and that thought alone filled him with pride. He had made that possible. He had proven himself worthy, and now his dream was coming to fruition.

He smiled at himself before turning on his heel and walking out of his room with his chin held high and a bit of a bounce in his step, making his way toward the common room where Logan and Patton were waiting for him. Logan was going to walk him through the whole ceremony again to make sure he knew what to do, what to say, and when…whereas Patton was just eager to see how he looked. He could hear their voices the further he walked down the long hall connecting the guards quarters to the main palace. As he rounded the corner, he was met by a deafening high pitched squeal from none other than Patton. Both He and Logan flinched at the sound but were otherwise used to Patton's eccentric behaviors.

“Oh LOOK AT YOU!” He squealed, bouncing over to his sharply dressed friend, “Roman you look absolutely RADIANT!”

“Indeed,” Logan agreed, adjusting his glasses on his nose, “I have to agree, you do look quite handsome, my friend. That red is a nice touch. Lovely contrast.”

Roman grinned, puffing out his chest a little with pride, “Oh, I know, but thank you anyways~”

Logan groaned, “You are insufferable…”

Roman chuckled, “Would you love me any other way?”

“I don’t love you at all…”

“Keep telling yourself that, darling,” Roman teased with a cocky grin, Running his hand through his hair for good measure.

“ugh, just stop…”

“Never.”

Logan pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration while Patton couldn’t help but laugh.

“Now is not the time for your nonsense, Roman…The ceremony is in one hour and we have work to do, although right now I personally would not mind watching you make a fool of yourself in front of the whole kingdom,” Logan said with a groan

“Ha, Nice try! I always make a fool of myself!”

“Finally, something we can agree on…”

“Alright now you two!” Patton laughed, “Come on, let's not waste any more time. We’ve got a lot to cover and little time to do so!”

 

* * *

 

 

With trembling hands, Virgil fastened his long, royal purple cloak around his neck with a large silver brooch bearing his family’s sigil, a sword embedded on the peak of a mountain with an owl, wings open, gripping its handle as though it were the one who drove the sword down. It was the same sigil engraved into the blade of his father's sword, which he now eyed as it sat just beside the mirror he stood before.

With a shaky breath, he reached down to pick up the sword, holding it tightly against his chest as he eyed his reflection once more. He Studied everything about his appearance. Gods, would Roman even recognize him like this? His raven hair had grown considerably longer than the last time they had seen each other and covered half his face most of the time. His skin was paler due to his preference for traveling and hunting at night, and somewhat thinner but he was by no means frail or sickly. Years of living on his own, keeping up with the manual labor around his family home and learning to hunt from high places such as trees or steep hilltops had resulted in a build that, while thin, was by no means weak. He knew he looked different now than the last time Roman had seen him…but just how different?

It was almost time for the ceremony to begin and his nerves were unbearable, causing him to feel physically sick to his stomach. He groaned a bit to himself as he sat down on a nearby chair, running his hands through his hair nervously.

A soft knock came from the other side of the door, startling him out of his thoughts, “y-yes?” He called nervously. “May I come in?” a familiar friendly voice responded from the other side of the door. “Oh, uh, yes, your highness.” He responded, quickly standing as the King entered his room. He bowed respectfully as the King approached him with a soft chuckle. “Come now, Virgil, You know you don’t have to be so formal in private like this,” Thomas said, his smile coming through his voice as he placed a hand on Virgil’s shoulder, “Roman is family to me, which makes you my family by default.”

Virgil chuckled nervously, “Yeah…sorry, I’m just…”

“Scared. Nervous. Restless.”

“yeah, that…”

Thomas gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze, “Don’t be. You’re going to be fine. I know its terrifying now but I promise you once it begins, all those nerves will melt away.”

“It's not my performance that I’m worried about,” Virgil said as he turned his eyes to look out his window. From where he was, he had a clear view of the palace courtyard, and in it he watched 3 familiar figures discussing what he assumed to be the upcoming ceremony. He knew the figure in white was Roman. He was far too high up to make out any of his features, but there was no mistaking that gait, or the overly dramatic gestures while he spoke.

“Virgil,” The kings soft voice came through his thoughts, breaking him away just long enough to hear what he had to say, “I know what you must be feeling right now…but trust me when I say that, when it comes to Roman, you have nothing to worry about.”

Virgil looked back at his king, confusion and curiosity evident in his gaze. Just as he was about to ask what he meant, a trumpeting call was heard from outside, signaling that the ceremony was about to begin.

“Its showtime, my friend, let's go.” The King said with a charming smile, clapping the boy on the shoulder as he turned to leave with Virgil following close behind. Just before leaving the room, Thomas turned to him once again, “For what its worth, Virgil, You look incredibly handsome in that uniform.”

Virgil blushed as he smoothed down the front of his jacket which was similar in style to Romans, only his was black and silver. “T-Thank you, your majesty”

“Please, call me Thomas. ‘Your majesty’ makes me sound old.”

The two men shared a warm laugh as they made their way down to the palace courtyard.

 

* * *

 

 

Virgil watched from the shadows, waiting for his moment. Though he knew he couldn’t be seen, he kept his oversized hood over his head. His pounding heart in his chest made It impossible to hear all that was being said, but even if he could he doubted he would even understand it like all of his focus was on the man dressed in white. He was breathtaking. His uniform was rather form-fitting and left no doubt that Roman had become considerably stronger over the years. His features had sharpened, he was obviously taller, and his hair, while longer, was perfectly kept. It was clear that Roman took great pride in his appearance and…wait…his sash…

 

“Psst! Virgil!” A whisper came from beside him. Virgil looked over at Patton who was smiling widely at him, “It’s time, kiddo. Deep breaths!” Virgil looked back up to see Roman already kneeling, prepared to take his oath. His head was bowed and eyes shut as was customary, which gave Virgil some small sense of relief. He shut his eyes for a moment, taking a few slow deep breaths to steel his nerves and focus on the task at hand. This was incredibly important, not just to Roman but to himself as well for deeply personal reasons, and he wasn’t about to let his own anxieties ruin it. Straightening his posture, he stepped forward from the shadows with an unusual amount of confidence, his father's sword strapped to his side, one hand gripping its hilt tightly. Confused murmurs rumbled from the crowd at the appearance of the hooded stranger bearing the Captains sword. Reaching up with his free hand, he allowed his hood to drop back, revealing his face which prompted waves of gasps and murmurs of surprise and recognition. Virgil knew that he would be recognized. Even though he was not a member of the royal guard, he was still a respected and well-known individual among them simply because of who his father was.

The murmurs in the crowd tugged at Romans curiosity, so much so that he broke custom to crack his eyes open and look up at the man approaching him and the moment he did so, Time stood still. His eyes were locked on the man in the purple cloak who was suddenly staring back at him with so much intensity that it made Roman feel small and helpless. His gaze was like iron, face set in a stern determination, and he carried himself in a way that commanded respect wherever he stepped. As Virgil came closer, Roman watched as he unsheathed his sword and, stopping just in front of him, drove the tip of the sword down into the ground, a gesture symbolic of the sigil that now sat at eye level with a very dumbstruck knight. There was a moment of silence where the two men simply stared at each other and Roman could hear his own heart pounding in his ears like a drum. “Breathe,” a soft whisper came from Virgil, soft enough for only Roman to hear. His long black bangs covered enough of his face so that it was only Roman who could even see him speaking. It was then that Roman realized he had been holding his breath this entire time…

He took long, slow breaths before whispering in response, “Virgil?”

“Shh. We’ll talk later. Let's get through this first, okay?”

“okay…” Roman snapped himself back into reality and resumed his position, head bowed and ready to take his oath now more than ever.

He heard Virgil take a deep breath before speaking, his voice as intense as his gaze, powerful, commanding and unwavering in its tone, “Sir Roman, Are you prepared to undertake and faithfully uphold the duties of Captain of the Royal Guard?”

“I am.”

“Are you prepared to swear your oath?”

“I am”

“Place your hand upon the sword and swear your oath, Sir Knight.”

Roman looked up just enough so that he could wrap a trembling hand around the hilt of the sword in front of him. He swallowed hard when he felt one of Virgil's hands cover his own in a silent gesture of encouragement as if he were saying “Breathe, You’re doing great.”

After taking a couple slow breaths, Roman spoke loudly for all to hear:

“I, Sir Roman of the Kingdom of Elysandre, do hereby swear before my King and my country to uphold the laws of my kingdom, to remain faithful to my sworn word, to command and serve with honor and to faithfully execute my duties with justice with mercy. This I swear upon my life and my honor.”

He felt Virgil's hand tighten around his own before hearing him speak. His voice, while still powerful had begun to waver just a bit, his emotions beginning to come through “Sir Roman, It is with great honor and even greater pride that I, Virgil, Son of Captain Draven and under the authority of His Majesty the King do I hereby pass onto you the title of Captain, and with it, I grant you my fathers sword. May it serve you well, ” With one more squeeze, Virgil let go and took two steps back, “Take your sword and rise, Captain Roman.”

Roman wrapped his shaking hands around the sword, bracing himself on it as he slowly stood, staring at his old friend the entire time. Virgil stared at him through tear-filled eyes and a genuinely happy smile that Roman had missed so much.

As he removed the sword from the ground, the courtyard erupted in cheers, causing him to look away from Virgil and out over the crowd that had gathered for the ceremony. Almost immediately he was engulfed in the embrace of not only the King himself but Patton and Logan as well. He laughed and hugged his friends close, none of them caring about the informality of the display. This was a moment to be celebrated, formalities could wait. Peeking up from the surprise group hug he had found himself in, he looked over to where Virgil had been only to see that he was gone. Looking around, he found Virgil walking towards the courtyard gates. He stopped to look back at Roman for a moment with a soft smile before flipping his hood over his head and walking out of the palace.

Romans' face fell as he watched him leave. That was it? He was just going to come in, perform a ceremony and leave just like that? Oh absolutely not.

“I’m sorry, please excuse me I have something I need to take care of” He said to his friends as he broke away from them and weaseled his way through the large crowd as best he could, which was a task in and of itself, especially considering the impressively large weapon he carried with him. He knew it was unusual for him to just run off after a ceremony, but right now what others were probably thinking was the last thing on his mind.

He finally reached the gates just in time to see Virgil's purple cloak disappear into the forest. He took off running after him without a second thought, hoping he could catch up to the boy before he was gone. “Virgil, Wait!” He called desperately as he neared the edge of the forest. He saw no sign of Virgil anywhere…

“Virgil! Hey! Come back!” He ran into the forest, eyes scanning around almost desperately as he searched for any sign of wherever the boy may have gone but it was to no avail. He was too late.

He felt a tightening in his chest as he sat himself down under a nearby tree, heartbroken and alone. What a cruel thing to do…show up again after 7 long years only to disappear without a trace?

Well, …he supposed he deserved it…

He abandoned him first after all…

He sighed sadly as he studied the blade of the sword he had been granted, his fingers gently tracing over the engraving when he heard a rustling from above him.

“You know, for a knight, you’re not very smart, are you?” A familiar voice spoke in a playful tone. Roman jumped to his feet and looked up only to find Virgil perched on one of the trees large branches, fiddling with what appeared to be a small crossbow. “Wandering the woods on your own? You could find yourself in some serious trouble,” He glanced down at the bewildered knight with a sly smirk, “You never know what kind of dangerous characters lurk beyond the safety of the palace.” Roman shook his head with an amused laugh, “All these years and this is how you say hello?”

“You seriously expected anything less?” Virgil asked incredulously as he clipped the small weapon to his belt and stretched himself out over the branch much like a large cat, propping his chin upon his hand as he continued his playful banter, “You’ve stung me, Captain. Its as if you hardly knew me at all.”

“Come down here and I’ll prove you wrong.”

“Oh? Is that a threat or a promise?”

Roman suddenly found himself blushing, “Shut up and get down here you filthy heathen.”

“So I’m the filthy heathen? Funny…that's not how I remember it happening,” Virgil watched with a smug grin as the knight stared up at him speechless and slightly embarrassed. Roman shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose, groaning in somewhat feigned annoyance, “ok, I change my mind, I didn’t miss you at all…”

“Now now, Captain, You of all people should know that lying is against a knights oath,” Virgil chuckled as he pushed himself up from his position on the branch and jumped down, landing only a few feet from the flustered knight, “But don’t worry, I won't tell anyone this one time.”

“Oh, are you not merciful….” Roman groaned with an exasperated sigh, but could not hide the grin that was spreading across his face. He stepped toward his old friend, reaching out to gently brush his long bangs away from his face before pulling him in for a long overdue embrace. Virgil immediately melted into Romans' arms, burying his face into the side of his neck, “I’ve missed you…”

‘I’ve missed you too, Virgil…” Roman Whispered softly, “and I’m so sorry for…everything…”

Virgil's heart panged at his apology. He knew that they had a lot they needed to discuss…but right now he didn’t want to have to worry about it. There would be time for that later. “Hey,” He said as he looked up into Romans eyes, “Don’t apologize, and please don’t be upset. You’re supposed to be celebrating. We will have time to talk things through later.” He gently pushed himself away, but kept his arm locked with Romans, “Come on, I’m sure everyone wondering where you are.”

Roman only nodded before allowing himself to be led out of the woods and back towards the palace, His eyes never leaving the boy leading him along.

 

From the darkness of the trees, a figure watched the two men with an almost sinister curiosity. It had been following the Knight for some time now, watching and studying him intently. It knew from its years of observing the young knight that he would be the perfect candidate to carry out its work and having seen and heard the knight interacting with the young archer only served to reaffirm its choice. A broken man with a heart full of desires was much easier to reach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> N A S T I E S T S L U T 4 C O M M E N T S


	4. The secrets we keep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romans Pride is his biggest weakness, in more ways than one. 
> 
> ((Some backstory development for your reading pleasure. Pride has more than one context in this story~))
> 
> !!TRIGGER WARNING!!  
> This chapter frequently mentions systemic homophobia. This is simply to add some historical context as well as add on to the underlying tension among the main characters and ultimately the final conflict of the story. Much of the story from here on out will feature this in some way shape or form.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in getting this update to y'all.  
> Lot of shit happening in my personal life right now...  
> anywho, enough of my own personal angst. 
> 
> Enjoy and I'll see you at the end of the chapter!

On a typical day, the sun shining brightly through his window would have gently roused him from his sleep with its warmth and life-giving light…but, not today. Today the sun was a cruel mistress, beaming its light mercilessly upon the Captain's face, causing him to groan loudly and turn away from it, covering his aching head with a nearby pillow. He had hoped that this would be the end of it, that he could simply stay in bed until the pounding in his head subsided but this was nothing more than false hope. Shortly after the suns abuse came the sound of knocking on his door which to him sounded more like a pounding. “Be gone with you,” his muffled voice growled from beneath the safety of his pillow, but he heard the door open anyways. He didn’t want to look and see who it was. He didn’t care. He just wanted them to go away.

“Alright now, Captain, time to get up! You’ve slept in rather late today,” a cheery voice responded. He could hear footsteps walking towards his large windows followed by the sounds of curtains shutting. His room was now considerably darker which allowed him to remove his pillow shield from his face so that he could properly scowl at the unwelcome visitor, but Patton would not be so easily deterred. He bounced over to Romans bedside, holding a steaming mug of something that smelled delightful, “I know you’re not feeling all too well this morning so I thought it’d be a good idea to bring you this.”

As Roman slowly sat up, he realized how exposed he was. He almost always slept in the nude, which was why no one ever entered his room in the morning without his consent…Except for today of course. If not for the blankets covering the lower half of him, Patton would be getting an eyeful…

“Patton you do realize I’m not dressed right now…You could have walked in on me completely exposed…” He said as he took the cup offered to him.

“And you do realize how little I care, right?” Patton said with a bit of a laugh, “Who do you think helped you get into bed last night?”

Roman suddenly choked on the sip he had been taking, “I beg your pardon?”

“Of course you wouldn’t remember. At the party last night following your ceremony you became quite intoxicated, my friend,” Patton said as he set about the room, Laying out everything Roman would need for the day so that it was easily within reach. This was a habit of his that Roman, as well as Logan and Thomas, had come to appreciate. Patton was a nurturer at heart, always going out of his way to take care of others, so the fact that he had been the one to help Roman undress while he was too intoxicated to do so himself was not surprising. Embarrassing yes, but not surprising.

Roman silently sipped on his drink for a few moments, feeling warmth and life slowly but surely returning to him with every sip. His head was still pounding but at least it took the edge off.

“There we go!” Patton exclaimed as he finished laying out Romans things. Roman downed the last of his drink before handing his empty mug back to Patton, “Thanks Pat…you didn’t have to do all of this, but I really do appreciate it.”

Patton giggled, “Hey someones gotta look after you boys when you get reckless. The gods know you won't look after yourselves!”

“Har har, you’re hilarious…”

“I know!”

Roman shook his head with a smile, watching as his friend made his way toward the door. “Don’t be long!” He called, his smile coming through his voice, “You’ve got a busy day ahead of you and I can't have you boys working on empty stomachs!” A soon as the door was closed, Roman stood and stretched the sleep from his aching muscles with a low groan. Today was definitely going to be a long day…

 

* * *

 

 

“Oh thank the gods he lives!” Thomas’ voice called out with a laugh as Roman entered the Kings dining room, separate from the large common area that was shared by all of the residents of the palace and much more private. Roman responded with a dramatic flourish of his arms and a cocky smirk as he made his way towards the table to join his little makeshift family. Thomas was seated at the head of the table as always with Logan sitting to his left with a book and a quill in his hand scribbling away in its pages. Patton was busying himself setting out their meal, and Virgil was--

“Move, pretty boy…”

\--as grouchy as ever as he trudged in, passing the knight with a bump, or rather a lazy shove, against his shoulder. Roman huffed, “Well good morning to you too, sunshine.” Virgil looked back at him through his messy hair with a growl before shuffling over to an empty seat beside Logan and all but fell into it. Roman had to suppress a chuckle. Virgil had never really been a morning person and was always a grouchy brat before he had something to eat and at least 3 cups of horrifically strong tea at a minimum. Though it's been a long while since he last joined them at this table, Patton seemed to remember the younger boys morning routine as he immediately slid a steaming cup of the darkest tea Roman had ever seen in front of him without a word. Roman took his seat across from him and shook his head with a small smile before looking up at Patton who finally settled down in his seat across from Logan. As the group started to dig into the meal that Patton so lovingly prepared for them, the King spoke up, “Now…I know we all agreed to keep work away from the table but unfortunately, my friends…today we have to make an exception.” He sighed, very obviously stressed by what was supposed to take place this afternoon, “Our neighbors to the east will be arriving this afternoon--”

“Again?” Roman looked over at his King who was just as annoyed at the news as he was, “This is the fourth time this season alone…how many times do you have to give them the same answer before they get it through their heads??”

Thomas pinched the bridge of his nose, “Trust me, Roman, I share your sentiment…I am just as exhausted of this political nonsense as you are…but regardless of our personal feelings on them or the subject at hand, we have an alliance to maintain and as much as I wish things were different, I have to play along…at least for now.”

“May I ask what this is all about?” Virgil finally spoke up, looking around at the other men at the table with confusion. Logan turned to him, “The royal family of the neighboring kingdom to the east is insistent that Thomas marry one of their daughters so that our Kingdoms may merge.”

Virgil almost choked on his tea, “Wait what? Why?”

Logan nodded with a fatigued sigh, “To consolidate power and resources.”

“Greed,” Roman cut in, anger evident in his voice, “They are nothing but a greedy, power-hungry family that want to have and control the largest empire on the face of mother earth and if our two kingdoms were to merge, that's exactly what would happen.”

“Our alliance with them gives them regulated access to our resources and us to theirs,” Patton added much more gently than the knight beside him, “and allows for the citizens of each kingdom to travel freely between us without restriction. It was an alliance brought about by Thomas’ own father who was a good friend of their royal family.”

“Ever since former King’s death, this family has been relentless in their attempts to get Thomas to agree to their preposterous proposal,” Roman practically growled, “even more so now that they’ve used more of their own resources than what they could replace. It's nothing but greed hidden behind the mask of politics.”

Virgil looked over at Thomas, “So they don’t know…?”

Thomas shook his head, “No one does except you four….not even my own father knew. Had he known, I wouldn't be sitting here with you today.”

Virgil swallowed hard. From the corner of his eye, he could have sworn that he saw Roman wince a little. No one else seemed to notice, so he didn’t draw attention to it.

“It's unfair,” Roman finally spoke up, “you’re the King, Thomas, and yet you still have to hide behind a veil of secrecy. You have the authority to change the way things are…”

“I know that Roman,” Thomas said softly, his voice tinged with just a bit of sadness, “But the kind of changes we desire need to happen slowly over time. You remember what it was like when I first took the throne...”

He remembered everything about that day. Thomas’ first official order was to wipe away the law that his great great great grandfather had put in place so many years ago which decreed that relations between two people of the same sex were an offense punishable by death. The younger generations had celebrated this drastic new change but the majority of the kingdom bound so tightly to their old ways, nearly rioted in protest. It had been nothing short of mayhem, but eventually, after a few months, the dust had settled for the most part. Abuse and discrimination still ran rampant throughout the kingdom, but at least no more innocent men and women had to die at the hands of their own family and friends….

“We have to tread carefully, Roman,” The kings voice broke him out of his flashback, “the last thing we need is for our own people to turn against us...so for the time being, its best to play the game as is, but I promise you it won't be forever.”

“So what now?” Patton asked, turning his attention to the emotionally exhausted royal, “If we continue to refuse, they’ll eventually grow suspicious won't they?”

“Perhaps,” Logan said, “but luckily for us, I have been dedicating my time to coming up with some counterproposals to offer in place of their own. Its highly likely that they will refuse all of them, but if we can at least make them think we have a genuine interest in consolidating our kingdoms, we might be able to keep their suspicions at bay for just long enough.”

As Virgil downed his third cup of tea that morning, he couldn’t help but notice that Roman had grown strangely distant. The young knight was eating in complete silence, clearly lost in his own thoughts and not paying attention to the conversation at all. He could tell that this topic was rather distressing to Roman, and he couldn’t blame him. Virgils parents may have been much more open and welcoming to the idea that their son was…well…different. He wasn’t sure if they had known that Roman was too, but he did know that during his time living here in the palace, Roman must have witnessed the horrifying injustices that took place under the former King towards people like him.

“Now then,” The Kings tone was suddenly much more cheerful as he attempted to change the mood that had befallen them, turning to Roman, “Our guests will be arriving this afternoon, Captain. I will need you to meet them at our borders and escort them safely. Bring your best men with you.” Roman nodded once, saying nothing as he stood from the table and made his way out of the dining hall.

Virgil watched him sadly as he walked away. He knew Roman was upset about something, It wasn’t like him to be so quiet, and the look on his face as he passed was a dead giveaway. He wanted to follow him. He was concerned for him and he still had many questions he needed to ask the young knight….

Thomas must have noticed the younger mans distress because his calm, soothing voice broke through the boys racing thoughts, “You should go too, Virgil.”

Virgil froze for a moment before meeting his Kings warm gaze, “pardon?”

Thomas chuckled, “Your skills with a bow are legendary, my friend. With the Captain's strength and your sharp eyes, our guests will have nothing to fear.”

Virgil swallowed hard, “b-but Thomas isn’t that a job best suited for one of Romans own archers? I’m…not a knight…nor am I a member of the guard. I’m just a hunter.”

“There's nothing that says you cant. And besides,” The King smiled, “Someones gotta keep Roman out of trouble. You know he won't do it himself. He’s far too headstrong for that.”

Virgil grinned a bit and looked down nervously, “Okay.”

“Go on, and be careful out there,” Thomas said warmly as he watched Virgil stand and, with a short bow of his head, he quickly left the dining room.

The moment he was gone, Patton turned to Thomas with a playful nudge against his shoulder, “Thomas you sly little fox.”

Logan looked up at the two of them with an exasperated sigh, “What am I going to do with you two…”

 

* * *

 

 

“She's beautiful…”

A familiar voice broke the knight from his thoughts as he finished securing the saddle on his horse. He turned to look in the direction of the voice, heart skipping a beat at the sight of Virgil approaching him with his cloak swaying behind him almost gracefully, bow in hand with an impressively large quiver slung across his back as well as several small knives strapped to his belt. To any other man, he would have looked intimidating with his dark clothing and array of weaponry but to Roman, he looked….stunning…

“Whats her name?” His voice broke the awestruck knight away from his thoughts once again as he looked down at the smaller man now beside him, gently reaching up to stroke the mare's neck. She was a large gypsy horse with a dazzling perlino coat. Her perfectly groomed mane, tail, and even the long, elegant feathering on her legs were a clear sign to Virgil that Roman was very attentive towards her and took as much pride in her appearance as he did his own.

“Esperanza,” Roman replied softly, watching Virgil the whole time he spoke, “I spent part of my training in Aragon. She was a gift given to me by the crowned prince for saving the life of one of his daughters…I raised her myself, you know.” He watched with awe as the large mare lowered her massive head to gently sniff at Virgil's hair, eliciting a soft giggle from the younger male. Virgil’s face wore a relaxed smile as she studied him carefully before finally pressing her head down against his chest, allowing him to pet and scratch over her neck and ears. Roman couldn’t help but smile warmly at the sight, “She's not usually this warm towards strangers.”

“Yeah well, You forget who you’re dealing with here,” Virgil chuckled as he looked up at Roman through his long bangs, causing the young Knight to blush a little at the sight. After a moment, Virgil pulled away from Esperanza and stepped towards Roman, his demeanor much more serious than before. “Roman, I know this is a bad time but we haven't really been able to talk since I got here and well… I have to ask…” He said as he looked down at the ground, “What…..happened? Why did you stop writing to me after….that night?” His long bangs hid the embarrassed blush creeping up his face as he spoke, “I mean, I figured you had just become too busy to keep in touch with me but I don’t know if it was because of me or-”

“No,” Roman cut him off, reaching out with one hand to gently hold him by the arm, causing him to look up into the knight's eyes, “no, Virgil….it wasn’t you, You’ve done nothing wrong. I…” He took a shaky breath, “I was…scared.”

“Scared?”

“Yes…” Roman looked past him briefly to watch as some of the guards began to gather together to begin their trek towards the border. He turned back to Virgil who was staring up at him, waiting to hear what Roman had to say. “Walk with me. I’ll explain along the way.” He said softly, letting go of Virgil's arm so that he could take a hold of Esperanza's reins. The two men walked in silence for a moment toward the exit of the stables before Roman sighed, “I was scared because…well…that morning when you left…someone saw us.”

Virgil’s heart stopped for a moment, “w-what?”

Roman nodded, recalling the memories in a brief moment of silence.

They had been careful not to be seen, waking up in the early hours of the morning long before sunrise. Roman had escorted Virgil out to the edge of the forest where it was dark and where he had been certain that no one would be able to see them, but he had been wrong. Someone had seen them walking out of the castle grounds hand in hand. Someone had been watching as the two men shared an embrace and a long kiss before the youngest of the two mounted his horse and took off into the night.

“Yes…” Roman finally spoke up, “but thankfully, the one who saw us was a dear friend and he was just like us…He warned me to be more careful. As fate would have it, He and his partner had been caught not two days afterward and…well…” Roman swallowed hard, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall at the memory of his old friend, “let's just say that under the former King, there was no tolerance for men like us…”

Virgil turned to him, “…He was executed wasn’t he?”

Roman nodded, “Yes…beheaded the next morning…both he and his partner. He was forced to watch his partner die first….” Roman took in a shaky breath, “…I got scared. That could have been us, Virgil…My carelessness could have gotten us killed. I didn’t know how else to protect you. I thought that you would be safer this way. I should have told you and I’m sorry…but I was terrified and paranoid and I didn’t know what else to do…”

Virgil's heart sank as he watched a single tear roll down his knight's cheek. He had to resist the urge to reach out and wipe it away as they were within view of the troop, “Roman I…”

“Ready when you are, Captain!” A cheerful voice cut Virgil off causing both men to look up towards the troop. The youngest knight of the group who had taken Romans place upon his promotion to Captain gave him a brief salute, which Roman returned with a chuckle.

A loud whistle tore his attention away and back towards Virgil who was looking towards the courtyard expectantly. Roman followed his gaze only to be met by the sight of a beautiful black mare trotting towards them, whipping her mane as she approached as if she were showing off for the bewildered group. Virgil approached her with a smile and after a quick kiss on her snout, he mounted, settling himself comfortably into her saddle and securing the weapons he carried to its sides.

Roman, having mounted his own horse approached his friend curiously, “I take it you’ll be joining us?”

“Of course,” Virgil chuckled as he finished making sure his crossbow was properly secured and then sat up to adjust the longbow on his back, “You really think I’m gonna let you get into trouble without me? Not a chance~” He gave Roman a seemingly innocent wink but Roman could easily see past that facade.

‘ _Oh Virgil, the trouble you’ll get me into far surpasses any trouble I’d find on my own _’__

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise the next chapter won't have such a long wait!
> 
> <3 <3 <3


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